Superheroes and Capes...?

Question

What benefits did superheroes have by wearing a cape?
Was it just for lloks or did it do somthing?

Answer 1

It's for looks and a psychological advantage. It can also be used a a napkin if one isn't available. Some heroes have recently began renting out the back of their capes to advertisers to earn extra money.

Answer 2

Heroes have been sporting capes since Mandrake the magician made occassional use of one before Superman first saw print. Basically, capes are the triumph of fashion over function, although there have been a few heroes whose capes actually served a function. Before Seigel and Schuster managed to launch Superman in 1938, one of their earlier creations, Dr. Occult was featured in a serial that showed him wearing a cape that gave him the power of flight. A short-lived character called Captain Wizard also gained the ability to fly from his cape, and an early DC comics character called Mr. America wore a cape which he could take off and ride as if it were a flying carpet (ostensively there was a scientific explaniation for how he did such rather than a magical reason). Just to prove that not all capes had the power of flight, MLJ's the Scarlet Avenger wore a scarlet cape that was bulletproof and flameproof; his cape saved his bacon more than once.

Answer 3

It depends on the superhero. Lots of them just have them to make them look grand and heroic. Superman started the whole superhero cape thing.

But it can hinder them like with Captain America who had tried to wear a cape as Nomad but he ended up tripping on it.

Batman's cape makes him look scary and it's edges are slightly weighed so that he could use it as a weapon. Robin's cape also helped him blend in.

Answer 4

It was mostly to look good - other than that it basically got in the way - just look at the Incredible (some pretty funny scene when they showed it). The only one that actually did well with a cape was Batman. It provided form and function.

Answer 5

Watch "The Incredibles". It will tell you why you should not wear a cape. Hazards such as getting sucked into jet engines while stopping a plane from falling out of the sky, and getting it hooked on missile fins, are just a couple of examples.
It was clear that it was just for looks.

Answer 6

Depends on the superhero.

For most, it's just a prop to make the hero look better - part of the hero "uniform" if you will.

However, for some, it has a function. One example is Batman. His cape (really called a cowl) serves to help him stay hidden in shadows and look more menacing when he's closing in on a bad guy.

Answer 7

the cape distracted the bad guy so the hero could get the jump on them. Or maybe they didn't like making their beds so they tucked their sheet in their back. But seriously, the only one I could answer is batman. HIs was to hide him in blackness, like a bat, or death.

Answer 8

While some capes do serve functions like some other answerers have stated, capes were more commonly added to costumes in the early days to better illustrate dynamic movements for the characters rather than being a fashion statement (ie Superman's cape billowing in the wind whenever he is flying). So their main purpose was for the artist's benefit to make their drawings more exciting and enticing to the reader.

Answer 9

it was meant to look good while it was flying back in the wind...otherwise it really is just a hinderance.